Search Results: thinking about friends as more

The backstory is a guy I met online over a year ago started acting different and friend zoned me some months after I found out his real identity.

I’m feeling hurt and I want him to know that but also open to talking through the issue if he wants to.

I came up with two different messages I’m thinking of sending. One is really long and the other is more to the point without excessive details.

We still talk regularly.

Which do you prefer?

A. Hey so there’s something that I’ve been wanting to share with you for quite awhile now.

I’m feeling confused and hurt knowing that you continued to engage in sexual conversations with me for so long when you were actually feeling wary of me. It really makes me wonder if you are being genuine with me at all.

As I said almost a year ago, I fully understand if you don’t want to talk now that I know who you are. But feeling like I need to pretend that I don’t know your name and having to wonder whether you’re talking to me just to avoid conflict makes me feel like the connection might not be natural anymore.

I know I can’t change your feelings, but I’m working on cultivating more self-love and that doesn’t negate mine. As much as I enjoy talking to you, unless we can talk this through and change our dynamic, I feel that I’m disrespecting myself by continuing to chat with you.

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on this!

B. Hey so I wasn’t expecting you to reach out after I left (website where we met) and after some thought, I think I need to let this friendship go.

I’m working on cultivating more self-love, and as much as I enjoy talking to you, unless our dynamic changes, continuing to do so is hurting my self-esteem.

Open to talking about it but also don’t want to bore you with a long message.

Take care 😊

Hi Ladies!

Ok, so true story, a good guy friend of mine once sat at our favorite bar and "outlined" all my attributes for me in a way that was just matter-of-fact, like a lawyer making a case for his client. In closing, he said, "... I've known all this since the first time I saw you. You just light up the room as soon as you walk into it, without doing anything at all. Any guy who can't see and feel that is nuts." He held up his Macallan and toasted me, which made me laugh and nudge him. It was very sweet and meant to get me out of the funk of the nasty things people were saying about me being a divorcee, etc.

Today's the anniv of his passing (RIP 2020, COVID), so he's on my mind. I didn't reject his incredible compliment, but I didn't really accept them and let them sink in till this month. Since this heart to heart five years ago I've had lots of compliments about different things and I always automatically deflect them as something kind the other person is saying. I don't take it to heart. Sometimes if a person goes on and on about something I did I'll blush, quietly thank the person and outline THEIR qualities, indicating that if I'm good at something it's because I have the benefit of working with THEM (which I also truly believe... no one really stands alone 100%). This morning I receive a compliment and I let it sink in a little... to my heart... and it was a great feeling. I think my friend sent this person my way with a kind word because I was feeling glum and remembering all our chats before he passed on...

Anyway, I got to thinking... how many of us don't know how to accept a compliment?

Take a moment to think about the nicest thing anyone's ever said to you. How did you respond? Did you ACCEPT the compliment or DEFLECT it?